The Best Southern Cheese Grits Recipe In Georgia - The Domestic Diva (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good grits? ›

The key to cooking old-fashioned grits is going low and slow—use a low heat so the grits simmer and slowly release their starches, which creates a decadent, silky texture. Whisking constantly during the first couple of minutes, and frequently throughout the rest of the cooking process, will prevent lumps from forming.

Southern grits are some of the creamiest, dreamiest dishes on the planet. Made from stone-ground grits and slow cooked to perfection, I love them best finished with a generous heap of butter, cheese (mmm, cheesy grits!), and heavy cream.

Before turning on the stove, artisan grain producer Anson Mills recommends soaking the grits overnight for a “superior” texture. This step also reduces the cooking time by about 50 percent, which can take from about 20 minutes to 1 hour or more, depending on the type of grits and desired consistency.

Use mostly water and add a small amount of cream, such as the 1/4 to 1/2 cup recommended by our test kitchen. If you want a stronger dairy flavor, you can use a mixture of half milk and half water along with the cream.

No matter which variety, yellow or white, the beauty of grits is their versatility and ability to take on most flavors paired with them, although they are always best when cooked with milk instead of water. The flavor and consistency difference is truly amazing.

It doesn't taste like egg, not really, but it makes the grits taste richer, with a more cohesive, rib-sticking texture. It's also an easy way to sneak a little more protein in there—six grams per egg—and I've found it amplifies the cheesiness of cheese grits, without adding any extra dairy.

Whole milk: You can do all water with just a splash of milk if you like, as long as there is some. It provides a creaminess that you can't get with just water. You can also use anything from whole to skim milk, but for quick grits I don't recommend using anything heavier than half-and-half because it's too thick.

For 1 serving: Combine 1-1/3 cups water and 1/8 tsp. salt with 1/3 cup Dixie Lily Grits in a 1-quart bowl. Microwave at HIGH 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let stand until desired consistency.

Geechie Boy products are all authentic. Heirloom corn, heralding back to the early Native Americans, is used in the antique gristmills (photo below), which preserve the natural oils and flavors of the corn resulting in the most flavorful grits.

The state of Georgia declared grits to be its official prepared food in 2002. A similar bill was introduced in South Carolina to name it the official state food, but it did not advance.

What is antebellum grits? ›

Their Antebellum grits are made from heirloom white or yellow corn varieties — and stone-ground.

Cook grits uncovered at a low-medium temp until they soften. If grits “firm up” before they soften, slowly add some water or stock or milk. Keeping a pot of hot water or stock simmering on the stove is very helpful. Hot liquid is best but not essential if you are using milk or cream.

1 Cup Grits. 4 Cups Water. 1/4 Tsp Salt (optional)

Make them creamier by cooking longer. Some folks add milk to the water and say that helps as well. The issue with using milk is scorching. Frequent whisking or stirring is essential with all types of grits.

Soaking grits in water overnight and cooking them in their soaking liquid reduces their cooking time by about 50 percent. In real terms, this means 1 cup of grits, unsoaked, cooks in about 90 minutes; soaked overnight, they cook in about 50 minutes. Either way, don't rush these grits.

Baking soda breaks through the structure of the grains of corn, encouraging gelatinization of the grits' starches so that they absorb liquid, thicken up, and get creamy in no time.